On paper, the Cashless Everywhere scheme launched by the General Insurance Council in January means that any medical insurance policyholder can now access cashless facilities for treatment in any hospital, even if that institution is not in the network of their insurance company.
On the ground, however, the scheme’s uptake has been slow, marred by low consumer awareness about cashless hospital facilities, no standardisation of rates for treatment and medical procedures in hospitals across India, and the inability of medical institutes to quickly implement the new initiative. When hospitals and insurers fail to agree on treatment costs, cashless services cannot be offered.
“The initiative accommodates even hospitals in remote locations with limited access to technology. This flexibility ensures that policyholders have a wide range of hospitals in emergency medical condition, promoting accessibility and convenience in healthcare services. The key advantage is the freedom to choose any hospital, regardless of its network status subject to cashless approvals,” said Hilal Ahmad, medical superintendent of the Asian Institute of Medical Sciences.
